


Lights...Camera...Action! (Chapter 2)

by Gwynne



Category: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-01-18
Updated: 2011-01-18
Packaged: 2017-10-14 21:19:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/153567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gwynne/pseuds/Gwynne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laisa at gunpoint.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lights...Camera...Action! (Chapter 2)

Laisa froze for a moment, expecting the punch line of the joke. But a tension in the silent room told her that this was serious. She glanced around in rising panic. The two techs each held needlers, one pointing straight at her and one at the nanny. She tried not to flinch as she looked back at her host.

“Jacob…?”

“Yes, Laisa? Do you have anything to say? Any special message to your husband, do you want to beg for your lives?”

She struggled for some kind of sanity, “You can’t expect to… this will never work.”

His smile was avid now, “But of course it will. He won’t want to lose his beloved wife, and especially not his darling little son. And once he gives his word he’ll have to abide by it, we know how much store the Vor place on their honour.” He almost spat the last word.

“Impsec are right outside. You can’t get away with this!”

“Impsec are on the other side of a door made to withstand a nuclear blast. A door with a coded lock that my people have sealed. I chose this place well – it has its own power and air circulation, it’s totally independent. And right outside that door is Lord Auditor Vorkosigan – son of the Butcher himself. It’s so good that he’s here; he can oversee the withdrawal of all the Barrayaran scum from our planet. Undo the vile work of his cursed father. Full circle.”

Laisa felt a cold fear now, if they realised Miles was inside the bunker they’d kill him on camera without blinking, just to show how serious they were. She forced herself to keep her eyes on Jake, and not glance towards the darker shadow in one corner. She couldn’t even think about her son, sleeping peacefully while a needler was pointing at him.

“Jake – you must reconsider this. For the sake of - ”

“For your sake I hope your husband really does love you, and that it’s not all just another way to trick Komarr.”

“I – I don’t…” Her mouth was dry, she couldn’t force any words out.

“But I do. I know just what I’m doing. I’m the saviour of Komarr.” She was starting to hate his smile. He nodded to the tech at the control panel and she touched a switch.

“Now, we’re off camera for about half an hour, while a pre-recorded message explains our position to my fellow Komarrans. And then we’ll send another message to your husband – perhaps with your sweet little son on camera too. I hope your hubby isn’t going to be too difficult about this, we might have to slice off an ear or two, or a few fingers, to encourage him.”

“But… how long…”

“He’s on his way here by now, he’ll be threading the wormholes. Messages can be beamed to him very quickly. Within the hour he’ll know what’s happening, although he won’t get here for another day or so. But he can send and receive messages. He can send his  
surrender, and get here in time to collect his family. Whole or in pieces, I don’t care.”

“You – you’re stuck in here, you can’t…”

“I can send and receive messages. It’s enough. And I have friends on the outside, in certain vital positions. My manifesto is going out to my fellow Komarrans now. And then they’ll all rise up to follow me. When they’ve had time to think about it I’ll go on camera and tell them what to do next. And we can stay in here until your …loving husband….” he almost spat the words, “…decides to save your lives.”

Laisa remembered that little Jake had always been bossy, had always wanted to win every game. She’d always been too sweet and quiet to fight him. Then. But now… if only she could think. Miles would know what to do. Miles would have a plan. He’d rescue them. All she had to do was wait.

“This can’t work. People won’t agree to it.”

“People do what I tell them to.” His voice was cold, and perfectly assured.

Out of the corner of her eye Laisa saw a small hand reach up to the control panel. The tech was busy holding her needler on Xav and his nanny, she didn’t see what was happening behind her. A short stubby finger tapped the panel softly, and a few of those small lights changed colour.

The vidcams were transmitting again.

That was his plan? How would that help? Impsec already knew where they were and what was happening, there was no secret information she could give them.

No. Miles had a plan, he always had a plan. His plan was… a camera. And Laisa. What did he want her to do?

She looked at Jake. Smiling, winning Jake.

What did Miles think she could do against this – a well prepared plan already swinging into action? She was just a trade expert, not a hostage negotiator.

Unless you count hostages as trade, of course.

She was Laisa, wife and mother.

She was Laisa Toscane, heiress.

She was Laisa Vorbarra. Empress.

The cold chill down her spine turned to steel. She was the Empress of Barrayar, and she wasn’t going to sit and do nothing while this man menaced her and her child, and tried to destroy her family and her empire. And Komarr, too. Because this wouldn’t work, no matter how he threatened, and then anyone who was tempted into supporting this stupidity would be in serious trouble. Gregor couldn’t give in, he’d be trapped, forced to let his wife and son die to save the empire. Gregor would be in agony.

And losing her and Xav – it would destroy him. She had to fight for all of them.

She took a deep breath, and matched Jake’s false smile. “This won’t work. I took an oath of loyalty to the empire. I will die for the empire if I have to. I’d rather die than let you destroy it.”

“And your son? Will you condemn him too?”

She held her voice steady, “He’s Vor. He’s born to serve. I hope and pray that he won’t be required to give that service so soon, but…” she faltered for a moment, “But he’s Vor.”

“We will see. You won’t be so brave when we start to slice him up.” His smile was avid now, he was revelling in the power.

What did Miles say? Always use your strength against their weakness. He was arrogant, he wanted to show off and prove to her that he was the winner. She had him in her hand. Now pull the thread as the vidcams transmitted every word. Let him show the side he kept hidden from the cameras.

“What are your plans, anyway? For after, if you managed to pull this off?”

“For Komarr? We will once again be free, and proud.”

“What about the Barrayarans who live here now?”

“They will leave. Or die. We don’t want them polluting our domes.”

“But some of them have moved here permanently, they have jobs and homes. What about the ones who’ve married Komarrans? What about their children?” A lot of young Barrayaran women had moved to Komarr for work or study, enjoyed the freedom and stayed, then found a Komarran husband.

“They’ve taken jobs from loyal Komarrans. We don’t want their contamination in our new Komarran society. They can all get out. Go back to that hell-hole they come from.”

He’d forgotten, or had never bothered to notice, that more than ten percent of the Komarran population now was mixed Komarran/Barrayaran families. He’d just lost the support of ten percent of his viewers.

“And the ones who have relatives who’ve moved to Barrayar?”

“We don’t want them back.”

All those people who had children and grandchildren on Barrayar just turned against him.

“What about the ones on Sergyar?”

“We don’t want them back either.”

Good. That’s one whole segment he’d just lost. Now think, and find another chink in his armour. “The military escorts for the trade fleets will stop.”

“We can hire mercenaries, or do without.”

She knew how much the trade fleets relied on that military help, there was a huge problem with piracy in the Nexus right now, probably based on Jackson’s Whole, or maybe Cetagandans looking for some easy pickings. And she knew how much Komarran trade fleets hated paying mercenaries.

“So what about the Counsellor? And the government?”

He waved a lazy hand, “They’re out, of course. We’ll start fresh with new people.”

“With you, perhaps?”

A happy grin, “Well, I would be the obvious choice. As an interim leader, while we get things settled down.”

“And I’m sure it’ll take you quite a while to do that. You won’t give up the position quickly.”

“Oh, we’ll hold elections when I think Komarr is ready.”

“What about the current government? What if they get elected again? What if a majority of Komarrans don’t want to go back?”

“They won’t be around to get elected. All collaborators will die.”

Laisa was breathless for a moment, she looked into his eyes, at pure hatred. And a very thin level of control. “Die? You’d… what – have them shot?”

“No need to waste ammunition – we can just shove them out of the domes. They don’t deserve Komarran air.” Every Komarran was raised from birth with a horror of going out-dome without a breath mask. There’d have been gasps of shock all around the planet at that one.

“Everyone in the government?”

“Every one. They’re all collaborators. All of those who gave in to the Barrayaran monsters. All those in government and any positions of power. We will start fresh and clean.”

“But… Jake…that’s a huge number of people. You can’t kill them all.” A large segment of his audience must be feeling very worried right now.

“We’re going back to what we were before. Get rid of the taint and keep the pure, trustworthy Komarrans only. We’ll toss them all out to choke and confiscate their property.”

“What about their families? Their children? What will they live on?”

“Their families can go out the airlocks too. I told you, we’re getting rid of all traitors.”

“But… children too? Surely not.”

“They don’t deserve to live. Get rid of them before they’re old enough to be a problem.” His eyes had a feverish gleam now. He was so close, years of careful planning was finally paying off.

New ground. Cut away another slice. “And in those elections of yours, when they finally arrive, who gets to vote? And how often? Will it finally be a free democracy on Komarr?”

His eyes shone with delight at his vision of the future, “We will go back to the glory days of Komarr! The days when the right people ran things, not that Barrayaran scum.”

“So…all the old families will be in control again? With all their voting shares restored? Even those who’ve lost their money and votes? Families like yours?”

“Mine, yes, definitely. I will put my family back where it belongs. My father’s work won’t be wasted.”

“But your family doesn’t have any votes any more.”

“All votes will be restored to their original owners.”

“A lot of families have sold their votes when they needed the money. What happens to the people who bought them? If they have to give the votes back, do they get their money back too?”

“Serve them right for taking something they don’t deserve. We’ll take the votes AND their money, they made it by using voting rights that weren’t rightfully theirs.”

Yes, lead him on, further. Cut away more of his support.

“What if the Komarran people want something different?” Laisa tried to keep her voice calm.

“They don’t get a choice. I’ve waited so long for this, I have it all planned.” He was looking at a bright future. For himself.

“And any opposition…?”

“We’ll toss them out of the domes too. We need total loyalty to the new Komarr.”

“The new Komarr, or the old Komarr? Jake, do your followers, your fellow-conspirators know all this? Do they really accept that so many people – families and children – are going to die?”

“Of course not, not yet. They know as much as they need to know. Only the inner circle know the whole plan. The rest of them will do as they’re told. It’s up to us, the important families, to get things back the way they should be. And we’ll control the voting stock, so once I’m in power I’ll stay there.”

“So Komarr will still have an emperor, just a home-grown one.”

“Emperor Jacob the First? Has a nice ring to it.” He ran his eyes over Laisa, “You like being an empress? Why not join the winning side? I’ll need someone to give me an heir.”

“What about Xav?” She heard the tiny catch in her voice. There was a needler pointed at her child, she wanted to run screaming to protect him. But she sat, and asked quiet questions. And cut away his support, slice by careful slice.

“He’s going to be a casualty of war. No matter what your Barrayaran husband agrees to, he’s not weaselling out of this unscathed. But you can still save yourself.”

“You’re starting your rule with a lot of deaths.”

“Komarr needs a good cleansing.”

“And when do the Komarran people find out about all of this? Do you really think they’ll vote for wholesale executions?”

“They’ll do what I tell them to. When I tell it the right way. And they don’t have to know about all of it, anyway. My…”

“…conspirators?” Laisa offered helpfully.

“…supporters, my inner circle, will take care of the more difficult aspects of the transition.”

A flashing light on the console finally caught the tech’s attention. She leaned sideways to check, “Incoming message – and – Jake! The vidcams are on – we’re transmitting!”

Jake swung around to gape at the cameras – not his best expression.

Striking like a snake, Miles swung a length of metal tubing around to clip the male tech’s needler, sending it flying. The Impsec-trained nanny kicked the female tech’s hand an instant later. The two women started struggling for the needler as the male tech shoved Miles out of the way and went for his own weapon, now skittering across the floor.

Laisa jumped to her feet, preparing to defend Xav. Before she could move she heard the low buzz of a stunner. Three shots, and Jake and the two techs all slumped to the floor. Miles strolled to centre stage, his expression calm but his whole body radiating triumph. He faced the vid- cams and took a deep breath, “This is Lord Auditor Miles Vorkosigan. The problem has been resolved, the Empress and the Crown Prince are safe. It’s all over, folks.” He gave his best triumphant smile, nodded happily at the cameras for emphasis, then moved over to the control console and hit the cut-off button.

He turned to see Laisa scoop up Prince Xav, as the slightly-stunned nanny quickly and efficiently hogtied the two techs and then started on Jake. Miles’s happy smile faltered as he met Laisa’s furious glare.

“A stunner?”

“Er…yes?”

“You had a stunner? The WHOLE TIME? I was terrified! I sat there thinking he was going to kill us all, and the whole time you had a STUNNER?”

“Of course. I always…”

“WHY DIDN’T YOU USE IT BEFORE?” Laisa had never mastered Gregor’s technique of becoming quieter when angry.

“That would have just stopped him. This way he’s lost all support and the revolt is finished before it even gets started.”

“But how did you….how did you know what I’d do?”

“You’re smart, I knew you’d catch on.” He gave her another happy grin, “I adore competent women.” He went to key the lock open and let the frantic Impsec men in to formally arrest the conspirators.

Laisa stood frozen in the middle of all the fuss and bustle as the prisoners were brought back to consciousness, arrested, placed in shackles and hustled out. She watched Miles hopping around like a demented flea, having a wonderful time getting in everyone’s way and, quite frankly, gloating more than a little over the success of his rescue. She wondered what sort of sound that pipe would make, bouncing off his self-satisfied head. She thought about the terror she’d felt, that horrific small slice of eternity as she watched her son being threatened with a needler.

She thought about carefully and quietly dismantling a planet-wide conspiracy, question by question.

She gave the pipe one last longing glance as Impsec hustled her out of the room.

# # # # # # # #

Gregor arrived the next day, his Imperial cruiser had set new speed records. By the time he arrived it was all over – a surprisingly small group of conspirators had been arrested, there had been no rioting or obvious unrest, in fact there was just a slightly uneasy calm across the planet. The Emperor’s arrival was greeted with a welcoming display that was more sincere than usual.

When Gregor stepped out of the shuttle the first person he saw was Laisa. Abandoning all protocol and Imperial reserve he reached for her and drew her close, nuzzling his face into her hair and holding her so tightly she could barely breathe. It was a long moment before he forced himself to release her and step back, eyeing her closely, “Are you alright? Truly?”

Laisa nodded, serene and calm, while the vidcams recorded it all avidly. “I’m fine. We’re both fine – Xav slept through it all. It’s all sorted out and over.”

They turned and walked towards the welcome party, Gregor holding her hand tightly and to hell with protocol, “You were alone with him – with that monster.”

“I had Miles. And he had a plan. He had a secret weapon.”

“Miles – of course he did. What was it?”

Laisa smiled again, “Me.”

Now she knew what an Empress could do. They all knew. And she wasn’t going to sit around being uselessly decorative any more.

Miles watched the two of them making all the proper diplomatic noises at the welcoming committee, and smiled to himself. Laisa seemed to stand a little straighter and taller, she had an air of poise and purpose that she’d lacked before. He nodded, satisfied with a job well done. Two jobs. His grandfather always told him, one problem can solve another one. Or, as he put it, you can kill two Cetagandans with the one stone.


End file.
